In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the health, safety and welfare of production and factory employees. Federal and state legislators have pushed for more stringent safeguards concerning fire, air pollution and other health hazards. Noise pollution has also been investigated as a health hazard in causing ear damage and permanent hearing loss.
Federal and state regulatory agencies have now adopted noise level standards for various production facilities and shop and factory owners are required to maintain noise levels within particular guidelines as specified by the regulatory agencies.
Woodworking equipment used for production in furniture and other factories has for years posed problems for workers due to the excess noise and large sound volumes produced. Ear plugs are often required in many shops to combat the high noise level and many factory superintendants are hard pressed to keep the noise level within the new, regulatory standards.
Drill presses, planers, sanders and lathes contribute to the excess noise, but one of the most frequent and continuing sources of noise in woodworking or metal shops is the table or circular saw.
Circular saws are most frequently used and generally operate continually throughout the entire shift and, therefore, are a major contributor to the high sound or noise level in the production area of the factory.
With this background in mind, it is one of the objectives of this invention to produce a circular saw blade with maintains a reduced level of sound during work load cutting.
It is another objective of this invention to produce a relatively inexpensive low noise metal circular saw blade having carbide tips and shallow gullets.
It is yet another object of this invention to produce a circular saw blade that will produce a low volume of noise of less than 90 decibels during work load cutting.